Electric switch



June 1941- H. ROTHENBERG ETAL ,1 6

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 13, 1937 lNVENT R;

Patented June 24, 1941 ELECTRIC SWITCH Harry Rothenberg, Norwood, N. J and Leopold C. Grimsley, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignors to Henry Hyman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1937, Serial No. 158,842

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric switch that is especially useful as a flash-light switch, but it is not restricted to this particular use as it is suitable for closing circuits wherever both momentary and permanent closing of the switch is needful. It can be installed in different places where parts of the switch that are to be connected to opposite sides of the circuit are insulated from each other, and is adapted to be connected to the opposite sides of the circuit.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through and an illustrative embodiment of the invention shown installed on a flash-light;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch partly broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, reference character I indicates the metal casing of a flash-light, or it may refer to any other conducting material. The flashlight is indicated with the usual battery 3, spring 4 in one end, and cap 5 having a screw 6 connected to the metal casing I. A center contact 8 is shown for connecting one end of the battery 3 to the lamp 9 that is held in the lamp socket II] mounted on a support II that is electrically connected to the contact strip I2 which is separated from the metal casing I by the strip of insulating material I3. A metal rivet I4 holds the strips I2 and I3 in place on the casing. This rivet passes through a hole It in the casing I so that there is no electrical connection between this rivet and the casing I.

A switch spring I6 is riveted at one end, as indicated at IT, to the casing I, and is bent so that a portion thereof is spaced from the casing. This switch spring I6 is preferably provided with a strengthening rib or bead I8.

The rivets I'I also hold in place a switch latch I9 so that it is electrically connected to the casing I. This latch I9 is provided with an enlarged hole so that the rivet I' l passes through it and does not make electrical contact with it but helps to keep it in place.

A switch contact 22 is also held in place by the rivet I4 and is insulated from the latch I9 by means of the insulating washer 23. The end of the switch contact 22 is bent upwardly to be in proximity to the under side of the switch spring I5 but is normally separated from it.

The switch latch I9 is bent upwardly toward its outer end, as indicated at 25, and. comprises a portion 26 extending substantially at right angles to the portion 25, and it also comprises a laterally extending end 21 to serve as a thumb piece for a purpose to be described.

The portion 26 of the latch I9 is slitted to provide a tongue 28 (Fig. 3) which is preferably bent slightly toward the switch spring I6 as shown in Fig. 1.

A housing 30 (Fig. 3) is preferably provided for the switch, this housing being kept in place by the rivets I 4 and IT. The side walls 3I of this housing preferably extend outwardly sufiiciently to prevent the switch mechanism from being accidentally struck.

The operation is as follows:

When it is desired to close the circuit momentarily, slight pressure is exerted on the switch spring I6 near its free end, thereby springing it down and causing it to touch the projecting end of the contact 22. The circuit is from the battery through to the center contact 8, the lamp 9 in the usual way, socket I0, support II, contact strip I2, rivet I 4, contact 22, switch spring I6, battery casing I, cap 5, spring 4, to the other side of the battery.

When it is desired to close the switch permanently, the free end of the switch spring I5 is pressed farther downwardly, with the contact 22 bending or yielding to permit this, until the end I5 passes below the lower end of the tongue 23, whereupon this end t3 passes under the end of the tongue 28, thus holding the switch spring I6 permanently in contact with the contact 22.

When it is desired to open the permanently closed circuit, pressure is applied to the extension 21, whereupon the portion of the switch latch is beyond the rivet it turns about this rivet as a center, thereby withdrawing the end of the tongue 28 from contact with the top surface of the end I6 of the switch spring It, so that this switch spring springs upwardly and breaks contact with the contact 22, th parts assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. In view of the fact that the tongue 28 moves on an arc of a circle whose radius is of smaller diameter than that of the free end I6 of the switch spring I5, downward movement of the portion 21 causes the tongue 28 to ride oil of the end I6 of the switch spring I6 when pressure is applied to the extension 27.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch having a resilient member of conductive material rigidly fixed at one end and adapted to be connected to one side of a circuit, a contact for said member fixed at one end and adapted to be connected to the other side of the circuit, and a latch operated by said resilient member for positively holding said resilient,

member in circuit-closing position after said resilient member has passed beyond its initial cirsuit-closing position, said latch being releasable by pressure thereon.

3. In a flash-light switch, a spring member having one end thereof attached to the casing of said flash-light, a spring contact having one end thereof attached to said flash-light casing, and being insulated therefrom, and a latch for said spring member attached to said casing, said latch having a tongue to catch the free end of said spring member.

4. In a flash-light switch, a spring member having one end thereof attached to the casing of said flash-light, a spring contact having one end thereof attached to said flash-light casing and being insulated therefrom, and a latch for said spring member attached to said casing, said latch lying under said spring member and being shorter than said spring member.

5. In a flash-light switch, a spring member having one end thereof attached to the casing of said flash-light, a spring contact having one end thereof attached to said flash-light casing and being insulated therefrom, and a latch for said spring member attached to said casing, said contact being intermediate said spring member and said latch.

6. In a flash-light switch, a spring member having one end thereof attached to the casing of said flash-light, a spring contact having one end thereof attached to said flash-light casing and being insulated therefrom, and a latch for said spring member attached to said casing, said latch having a portion extending substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the free end'of said spring member.

, 7. In a flash-light switch, a spring member having one end thereof attached to the casing of said flash-light, a spring contact having one end thereof attached to said flash-light casing and being insulated therefrom, and a latch for said spring member attached to said casing, the latching portion of said latch and the end of said spring member being movable along arcs of circles of difierent diameters.

8. An electric switch having a switch member tensioned to its open position and adapted to be connected to one side of a circuit, a resilient contact for said switch member adapted to be connected to the other sideof the circuit,and means comprising a spring member approximately parallel to said switch members and having a portion approximately at'right angles thereto for holding said switch member in contact with said contact after it has passed beyond its initial cone tacting position.

HARRY ROTHENBERGb LEOPOLD-C. GRIMSLEY. 

